Westgate Blog

Inclusivity – the key to social media PR

In the age of social media, I think that one of the things that IS incredibly encouraging in human terms is that to achieve really great brand exposure for your clients' products or businesses, a generosity of commercial spirit is essential.

Nowadays every media personality will have their own Instagram or Twitter account, with regular updates and videos. As we all know, traditional media has now been joined by a host of bloggers and vloggers, all with their own highly engaged media audiences, with very impressive viewership figures. And of course traditional media has joined this new arena, with their own journalists creating their own engaged online media communities.

In 2018, when you are organising a client media launch, whereas ten years ago you would expect (if you were lucky!) perhaps two to three broadcast media to come along, now you could be expecting 30 media ‘presenters’, all with their own channels and very specific and large audiences and followers.

Another golden rule of media relations has also shifted in this social media age – the refusal by media operators to allow other competitors access. Whereas before media titles would refuse to allow any reference to their competitors, now in this new age, inclusivity is the key, both to achieve the full media coverage potential and to position themselves as being a key part of this modern digital age.

Not mentioning or referencing any other media influencers will not achieve social media currency for any operator. Brands and media partners now have to allow other brands into their particular commercial landscapes to achieve the commercial exposure they need.

Media will now cover the antics of these celebrity Instagramers and vloggers, even though strictly speaking they are all running their own media channels. So even more personalities have joined an already crowded pool, thanks to social media and all this content also now makes up a huge proportion of stories that are carried by traditional media outlets.

As recently as 2015, Zoella, one of the most influential vloggers of last few years, made an appearance on the Great British Bake Off. At the time. the traditional media responded with general apathy, questioning whether she had sufficient celebrity to qualify as part of the cast of actors and presenters. Now, only three years on, I doubt that would be the same response, as now we all know that she reaches ten million plus followers and probably has more influence with consumers than the rest of the cast put together.

This just shows all the shifts in the media landscape that have happened, and the fluidity that the social media channels bring. Things are changing and will continue to do so. Being rigid and not welcoming in all these new personalities and influencers, and their channels and followers, would mean that your brand or business would miss out on all the possible media and brand exposure now and in the future.

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